Joint Statement by the Sovereign Organs of the Democratic Republic of Timor-

Leste on the Use of Official Tetum

The President of the Republic convened a meeting at his Office, in Bairro do Farol,
which was attended by the President of the Republic, the President of the National
Parliament and the Prime Minister, who were accompanied respectively by the Goodwill
Ambassador for Education, Mrs. Kirsty Sword Gusmão, the Minister of Education, Mr.
João Câncio, and the Chairman of Parliamentary Committee F on Health, Education and
Culture, Mr.Virgílio Marçal.

The following people were also invited to the meeting: the Director of the National
Institute of Linguistics (INL) and Rector of the National University Timor Lorosa’e, Mr.
Benjamim Corte-Real, as well as other staff from INL, Father Apolinário Aparício
Guterres, representing the Bishop of Dili, and the Members of the Catholic Liturgical
Commission, Father Leão da Costa, Father José António da Costa and Father Domingos
Alves, who were appointed by the Bishops of Baucau and Dili to attend the meeting.

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The meeting was convened in the wake of a visit by the President of the Republic to the
National Institute of Linguistics, on 31 October 2008 with a view to taking stock of the
status of Tetum as a national and co-official language of Timor-Leste which the State has
a duty to value and develop, pursuant to the Constitution (article 13).

The President of the Republic, the Parliament and the Government are aware that Tetum
is essential for building the nation and the State in Timor-Leste, for national unity and
cohesion and for asserting East Timorese identity. Tetum, as a national and co-official
language, should be a pillar supporting the unity of all East-Timorese, facilitating
communication between them, bridging generations and diverse geographic origins and
being an instrument for education and culture.

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The President of the Republic, the Parliament and the Government acknowledged that the
State of Timor-Leste has already adopted a standard orthography for Tetum, known as
tetun ofisiál, which was developed by the National Institute of Linguistics and that the
State has designated the latter institution as the scientific guardian of tetun ofisiál.
(Decree no. 1/2004 of 14 April)

But they have also acknowledged that despite a growing use of the standard spelling of
Tetum, the employment of the official orthography is far from being widespread in State
institutions and civil society, due to a lack of awareness about the standard spelling or
ignorance of the law or because differences of opinion persist on how to spell Tetum
words.
In particular, the President of the Republic, the Parliament and the Government noted that
differences of opinion on the orthography of Tetum subsist between the National Institute
of Linguistics, which based its standard spelling on rigorous linguistic principles
generally acknowledged by the international scientific community, and the Catholic
Church of Timor-Leste, who played a pioneering role in compiling and transcribing the
vocabulary of Tetum and whose preferred spelling reflects therefore a long-winded
historical and cultural process, as witnessed in liturgical and catechetical works.

The National Institute of Linguistics and the Catholic Church of Timor-Leste were
invited to present their respective point of view on the orthography of Tetum at the
meeting. Both institutions submitted very valuable contributions that helped participants
understand more clearly where there is convergence and divergence of opinions.

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The President of the Republic, the Parliament and the Government concur that the
development of Tetum’s orthography is a process spanning more than one century and
that many have contributed to it with fundamental insights and innovations, particularly
the Catholic Church. And that any process aimed at standardising or reforming a
particular orthography will require a willingness on the part of stakeholders to sacrifice
their personal preferences or feelings.

But they are also aware that the ongoing development of the State and the Nation of
Timor-Leste and the challenges that lie ahead require the resolute adoption and swift
dissemination of a single orthographic standard that is coherent and applicable to all
the other national languages of Timor-Leste. The standard orthography that is in force,
tetun ofisiál, meets those requirements. And it is increasingly being disseminated in the
education system, from basic education to university, as a result of the efforts undertaken
by the authorities together with the development partners.

A standard spelling system is essential to develop a comprehensive and quality education

system that will educate our children and prepare them for the challenges of the future; to
conduct literacy campaigns aimed at reducing illiteracy and in the process alleviate
poverty; to establish a modern Civil Service that will serve Timor-Leste’s citizens; to
foster a publishing industry that will divulge national culture and traditions and expose
East Timorese citizens to the cultural productions of other peoples and civilisations; to
develop media outlets that will inform citizens with rigour and contribute to raise critical
and independent minds; to create a literary medium that will convey the thoughts and
feelings of the East Timorese and be their window onto the world.

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Thus, the President of the Republic, the Parliament and the Government, convinced that
they are expressing the best interests of the East Timorese People and Nation:
 • Hereby undertake to adopt, respect and enforce the standard spelling of tetun
ofisiál and to involve in this commitment all institutions and agencies under their
purview, or working with them in partnership, or benefitting from the financial
assistance of the State, namely the Civil Service and other State institutions,
including public and private educational institutions and all those that are
somehow associated with information and culture.

• Hereby undertake to promote tetun ofisiál within the framework of a National

Policy for the Languages, to be drafted and approved by the competent bodies of
the State in consultation with the Catholic Church and other sectors of East
Timorese society, namely by promoting the teaching of the standard spelling and
grammar of tetun ofisiál in all institutions and agencies under their purview, as
well as to promote and support initiatives aimed at teaching and raising awareness
for tetun ofisiál in civil society.

• Hereby undertake to respect the divergent approach to orthography by the

Catholic Church in their liturgical and catechetical works in view of its past role
in the development of Tetum.

• Hereby undertake to work in a spirit of openness with all those who have an
interest in and are concerned with the languages of Timor-Leste, and to regularly
assess the progress made with a view to achieving an increasingly comprehensive
standardisation of the orthography.

• Hereby undertake not to undervalue or disregard the other national languages of

Timor-Leste, which also should be studied, promoted and developed within the
framework of a National Policy for the Languages.

• Hereby undertake to support and develop the National Institute of Linguistics so

that it may fully discharge the mission that was bestowed upon it by law.

Farol, 5 December 2008